Letter to the Editor: A Plea to Deal with Serramar Traffic, High-Speed Shortcut

Editor’s note: This letter was sent to property manager Maura Eisele of the Serramar neighborhood and copied to La Mesa Patch.

To the editor:

As a concerned resident of Serramar, I write to obtain information regarding traffic and its impact upon our development.

Have you and the Association seen the Serramar development traffic videos on YouTube? Very clearly, traffic continues to be a homeowner’s issue.  It could also be viewed as a development issue when either the reality or the perception of a cut-through neighborhood takes hold and begins to impact home worth, values, and neighborhood desirability.

My neighbors and I have voiced that had we received full disclosure of what the streets would become when we purchased our homes, we would have never purchased our homes in Serramar.  

As probably one of the highest tax-based developments in/for the city of La Mesa, one would think the neighborhood should be able to serve as a serene home to the people who live within it; instead, the neighborhood is impacted by hundreds of speeding vehicles using the neighborhood as a cut-through daily and the individuals living within are oftentimes abused by the drivers of those vehicles.

Tell me: Was the developer aware when the development was built that the neighborhood would become traffic cut-through?  Our neighborhood is a “highway” (literally in the mornings and afternoon) with people speeding through, cursing at the owners who inform them to “slow down” or gesturing their response in the most inappropriate way.  

I even know of one neighbor who was accosted by a speeder who turned his automobile around to verbally assault the person who had requested that the driver “slow down.”  In addition, I have viewed individuals who have been involved in “near-miss” experiences where they have almost been hit walking across the street by passing speeding vehicles.

To date, in the year following the submission of petitions to the city of La Mesa, the traffic department has responded with an occasional review of the traffic numbers through street car counters, and the police with portable speed signs to inform drivers of their speed.  

In addition, 25 mile an hour speed notices were painted on the roadway along Sacramento Drive.  Furthermore, the traffic calming on High Street was in my opinion never adequately reviewed as per the city’s requirements of impact upon neighboring streets following completion of that traffic calming. 

Actually, it appears that the results in traffic reduction on High Street happened not because of the traffic calming on that street, but because of the alternative cut-through that Sacramento Drive offers.

Of course, while any review of traffic was taking place (if it is taking place), actions that could have immediate impact upon Serramar traffic could include erecting stop signs on every intersecting side street along Sacramento and on Eastridge to slow traffic, or agreeing to have speed bumps erected by the community neighbors who were willing to purchase them for the city. 

But alas, nothing more to date seems to have happened.

Therefore, I am writing to you as a possible source to learn what is the Prescott Companies’ role in addressing/alleviating the traffic problems in the Serramar development?

I have heard discussions of gating the community, which I believe would reduce traffic by at least 75 to 85 percent.  Either all entrances/exits to Serramar could be gated or specific streets could be closed—for example, the intersection of Sacramento Drive and High Street.

May I suggest that, with the monetary reserves in the HOA (from assessments), the streets be purchased (rented back?) from La Mesa as may be required over whatever time period as would be appropriate and maintenance money could be accumulated through association dues for street replacement that may be needed in 10 or 15 years from now.  

Interestingly, I have heard many reasons why gates are problematic. However, research actually shows that crime is reduced, housing prices increase and the real estate is perceived more valuable as buyers seek gated communities.

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Dr. Bill Fornadel
Serramar resident
La Mesa